'General information on Persia for any future edition, 1895' [‎89v] (169/211)

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The Vali of Kharput, whom Mr. Boyajian speaks of with regret as an excellent
official, has been dismissed, in consequence, it is said here, of the Dersim affair. He
is succeeded by Baouf Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , Vali of Bitlis, of whom I have always heard much good.
The Director of the Armenian School at Arabkir, said to be the leader of the
intrigues reported in my despatch of the 10th instant, has been sent to Constantinople.
I have, &c.
(Signed) CHARLES S. HAMPSON.
No. 89.
Sir PV. White to the Marquis of Salisbury.—{Received November 27.)
My Lord, Constantinople, November 19, 1891.
WITH reference to my despatch of the 5th May last, I have the honour
to transmit herewith a copy of a despatch from Her Majesty’s Acting Consul at
Erzeroum reporting various robberies and outrages by Kurds, and containing complaints
against Ahmed Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. , formerly Ka'imakam of Alasbgerd.
I have, &c.
(Signed) W. A. WHITE.
Inclosure in No. 89.
Acting Consul Hampson to Sir W. White.
gjx^ Erzeroum, November 7, 1891.
AS usual at this season of the year, between harvest and the setting in of winter,
instances of robberies and outrages by Kurds are reported from various directions.
Though not so serious or numerous as last year, yet they are still sufficiently so to
afford the peasantry a very real cause of complaint of want of protection on the part
of the Government. The formation of the new Kurdish cavalry appears so far to have
but little restraining effect on these outrages, in which many members, and even
prominent officers of the new force, are accused of taking part.
The worst cases which have come to my knowledge are the following:—
1. Two months ago, two Armenian girls were carried off by Kurds from the
village of Koshk, in Aintab.
2. Some few weeks ago Mustako, a Kurdish Chief of the Biliklu tribe, carried off
an Armenian ’woman from the village of Maaruf, in the Khinis district. The
woman was recovered by the interventions of the local authorities, but Mustako was
allowed to go unpunished.
3. Three weeks ago Kurds attacked a caravan near Ashagilias, in Alashgerd, killed
one man, and carried off sixteen bales of goods and eight oxen.
4. About the same time, a party of Jibranlu Kurds, under one Abdo, attacked a
Persian caravan on the road from Erzeroum to Trebizond, between Ilidja and
Ashkaleh, and carried off six bales of very valuable goods, said to be worth over
£ T. 500. The Commander of the Gendarmerie here went in pursuit with a party ol
mounted police. They came up with the robbers, and, in the fight which ensued, one
of the police was wounded, while Abdo, the Chief of the robbers, was killed, and one
other Kurd wounded. The stolen goods, however, were not recovered, though sixty
cattle, which had been taken from various villages, were brought back here.
5. Prom Hasdur, in Alashgerd, I learn that, during this autumn, 100 cart-loads
of hay and fifty of wheat have been burnt by Kurds, and forty cattle carried off. It
is said that this amount is small in comparison with that destroyed or carried off from
other villages.
6. It is said that Kurds of the Sibkanlu tribe, who are members of the new
cavalry, avail themselves of that pretext to take forage, food, &c., from the villagers
of Alashgerd without payment. This system of military robbery has hitherto been
the speciality of the police and regular cavalry patrols.
Erom Alashgerd I continue to hear many complaints against Ahmed.* This man,
as your Excellency will remember, was dismissed from the position of Kaimakam, but
he was subsequently raised to the rank of Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. ; and, though holding now no official
* Vide my despatches of February 21, March 7. and April 18, 1891 : ante, Inclosures in ISos. 18, 23,
and 37. ^
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